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Mija Talks Holy Ship! 2018 & Cruise Festival Style

BILLBOARD - January 3, 2018

The first leg of the dance music festival cruise sets sail Jan. 6-10.

Now that your New Year’s celebrations have come and gone, it’s almost time to set sail for Holy Ship! 2018. With all the built up excitement, we guarantee you haven’t even thought about the most important part of the trip: packing.

Not to worry, Billboard Style brought in festival expert Amber Giles — also known by her stage name Mija — to get real on exactly what to expect from the festivities and how to prepare. The DJ also let us in on her special plans for her set on-board, so go ahead and get pumped, grab your suitcase and make note of Mija’s words of wisdom for the upcoming cruise from her interview below.

We heard you’re somewhat of a Holy Ship! vet — how would you describe it to first-timers?

I’ve actually only been twice, but I feel like a vet by now. The way I’d describe it to someone who’s never been is it’s like organized chaos. Be prepared to stay up all day and night, meet your favorite artists IRL, and witness some crazy back-to-back sets.

How about your set specifically, can you tell us what people can look forward to from it?

I always try to switch things up on the ship and play a lot of music that I don’t typically include in a regular club or tour setting. I feel like I can do this because the demographic at the festival is a bit older and as a result, the crowd’s music taste is more eclectic. Also, Gina Turner and I are doing a special “Royal Rumble” DnB set featuring some special guests that fans won’t want to miss.

I haven’t packed yet and I probably won’t until the hours before my flight — typical! I recommend bringing a mini-speaker for your cabin, lots of sunscreen, cool outfits, glitter, ibuprofen, and small toys, bracelets, or pins to trade with your ship fam.

How would you describe your cruise festival style and what are some outfits you have planned for this year?

I kind of just dress the same way no matter where I am. Sometimes I like to bring one weird piece, maybe a funny wig or jacket. This year, I’m not sure what I’ll be wearing yet though because like I said, I’m really good at packing last-minute.

Do you dress up for theme nights? If so, which ones are you most excited for?

I don’t typically dress up for them only because I always forget to look them up before leaving. I’m usually just trying to download all the hot new tracks before losing Wi-Fi for good. Since you asked and now that I looked, I have to say the ‘90s toon night sounds hella fun(ny), so maybe I’ll figure something out for that. I really like [’90s animated MTV comedy] Daria.

What would you say is your favorite part about Holy Ship! and are there are artists you can’t wait to see from the lineup?

My favorite part is being with so many friends, and running around from set to set with no real purpose or intention other than to dance, meet fans, and try to go back-to-back with the legends. This year I’m stoked to see Noisia. You can also catch me dancing at Justin Jay, Uniiqu3, and Soul Clap.